Pimp your room, your way Tired of cookie-cutter interiors? Make your interiors your own, writes Sharon Newey.

If you’re tired of seeing the same old decor ideas, how do you make your home feel different from all the rest? There are many ways to give your interiors a dash of individuality. There’s a growing trend towards more individual interiors, using handmade and artisan accessories to add character and style. Scouring the shops, be they secondhand or new, to uncover that special piece is one way of doing it, but aside from proudly displaying your children’s art on the walls or having a rogue’s gallery of family photos, what else can you do?

Taking an individual approach means your interiors are less likely to date, says interior designer Debbie Omond of Compose Interiors.

‘‘It’s not based on a trend. Being brave comes down to confidence and whether or not you are

bothered by what other people think. If you need to build up courage, start with researching ideas online and create a style guide, then use this as a base to ensure when you are selecting items that you are staying on track with your style.’’

Paint is an affordable and easy way to change a room in just half a day. While everyone else is painting their walls in off-white or dove grey, you can go all out with a bold colour like deep forest green, or something even more dramatic like poppy red. And if you’re really brave, try painting not only the walls but the ceiling, too.

Bold choices can work well in transitional spaces like hallways or powder rooms where you don’t linger, says Wellington designer Debra De Lorenzo of One Ranfurly.

Another room to flex your creative muscle or be very personal in your choices is your own bedroom, she says. She also suggests thinking of other surfaces to add strong colours, such as doors and window frames, and believes that more homeowners are renovating for the long-term rather than selling and moving on, so are more likely to opt for more personal interiors.

Another way of adding interest is by rediscovering the artist within and painting an easy pattern on the wall. Just roll out the masking tape and get painting with squares, mountain peaks, chevrons or random geometric shapes. The trend is for more organic styles and patterns, so you could try a bit of freehand. If you get it wrong, simply paint over and start again.

Resene marketing manager Karen Warman says, ‘‘When you’re decorating your home, there are limits when it comes to most elements, such as benchtops, carpets, furniture – limits of budget and

When mum Jessica Britten was looking for toy storage, she couldn’t find anything she liked in shops, so she bought a simple cabinet from Bunnings and painted it with a rainbow.

Creating a colour-block pattern on the wall is simple with masking tape and paint. This one visually anchors the bed and is painted in, from left, Resene’s Helix, Peace and Silver Chalice.

Designer Debra De Lorenzo took inspiration from the stained glass window in this bathroom to create a striking orange and pink scheme.